Retirement is
an important life event, bringing with it many adjustments and challenges. Changes in lifestyle, friendships, self-esteem,
and vocation are all part of the process. Retirement is especially difficult for police officers who leave the law enforcement
profession at middle age, often unprepared for the consequences of change. However, by providing the necessary information to help them make crucial decisions before retirement,
officers can make a smooth and productive transition into civilian life.

An instrument for predicting
retirement satisfaction in Police Officers: A pilot Study

by Daniel A. Goldfarb, Ph.D.

Retirement is one of the biggest decisions
that a person makes. Police officers are no exception. In fact police officers are often able to retire at a younger age than
the public at large. They often have the option of staying on the job for years even after they are technically eligible for
retirement. Thus their retirement decision may be more complex than the general public. They are faced with more options as
well as a longer period of retirement than most.

Hooker and Ventis (1984, pg. 478)
note that "Retirement, as any major event in the life cycle requires adjustment". Pre planning an event is one way to improve
the chances of successfully adjusting to a new life style. An instrument that would help predict the likelihood of retirement
satisfaction would be helpful for the person making the decision to retire. This author found no such instrument in the literature
for either the general public or law enforcement officers.

The literature on retirement does present
certain variables which appear to be connected to life satisfaction after retirement. Factors such as perceived health, adequate
contact with friends and sufficient income are correlated with life satisfaction after retirement (Bauer and Okun , 1983).
Participation in recreational activities and satisfaction with those activities were found to have a significant positive
relationship to reported satisfaction with retirement (Knesek, 1992). The attitude with which retirement is approached also
influences satisfaction (Knesek, 1992). Dobson and Morrow (1984) noted that "Retirement attitudes were more strongly related
to work commitment and job satisfaction than age, sex, health, and income." (pg. 81).

Welcome to the web site of
the New York City Police Pension Fund, the latest innovation in our continuing effort to provide superior service to our more
than 36,000 active members and over 37,000 retired members. This web site is another step in a number of planned technological
advancements enabling us to reach out and provide our members with faster access to information concerning all your pension
needs. A host of general information regarding benefits, recent pension legislation, agency contacts and a frequently asked
questions section will be available. We hope that you find the information and services provided on this site to be useful
and welcome suggestions on how to better serve you.

The mission of the South
Carolina Retirement Systems is to administer a comprehensive program of retirement benefits responsive to the needs of South Carolina’s
public workforce and to perform fiduciary duties as stewards of the contributions and disbursements of the pension trust funds.
The Retirement Systems’ vision is to empower our employees to provide comprehensive
service in a professional manner for our members, employers and retirees through the timely and accurate processing of payments,
claims, inquiries, and other account information using effective and appropriate, leading-edge technology.

The Police and Firefighters'
Retirement and Relief Board determines eligibility for optional retirement, disability and related matters for District police
and firefighters, US Park Police and US Secret Service and their survivors. The board ensures fair and equitable treatment
to all members under the purview of the Police and Firefighters’ Retirement and Disability Act as amended by P.L. 96-122.
The seven-member voting board meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays to conduct its due process hearings.

The MPORS is a multiple employer,
cost-sharing defined benefit retirement plan established in 1974 and is governed by Title 19, chapters 2 & 9 of the MCA.
This plan covers all municipal police officers employed by first- and second-class cities and other cities that adopt the
plan. Benefits are established by state law and can only be amended by the Legislature. The MPORS provides retirement, disability
and death benefits to plan members and their beneficiaries. Benefits are based on eligibility, years of service and compensation.
Member rights for death and disability are vested immediately. All other rights are vested after five years of service. A
brief summary of eligibility and benefits follows:

The State Police Pension,
Accident, and Disability Fund was created in 1935 for employees of the Michigan Department of State Police who have subscribed
to the constitutional oath of office. Effective October 1, 1986, Act 182, P.A. 1986 (Sections 38.1601 - 38.1648 of the Michigan
Compiled Laws), transferred the operations of the State Police Pension, Accident, and Disability Fund to the Office of
Retirement Systems, Department of Management and Budget, and also created the Michigan State Police Retirement System. A nine-member
retirement board oversees MSPRS.

AUGUSTA—In
a win for Maine’s career firefighters and police officers,
the Maine Legislature voted Wednesday to expand access to health insurance plans for current and retired county and municipal
fire and police employees. Sponsored by Assistant House Majority Leader Bob Duplessie, D-Westbrook, the legislation also allows
police and fire personnel to carry their retirement plans with them as they become employed by different municipalities or
counties as participants of the Maine State Retirement System.

“Our firefighters
and police officers are the insurance we carry for our communities—to always be there to help when something goes wrong,
and these men and women put their lives on the line for us everyday,” said Duplessie, a retired professional firefighter.
“They deserve quality, affordable health care, and the ability to put money away for a good retirement after all their
hard work.”

Under the new
law, career firefighters and police officers may pay in to a group insurance plan for fire and police personnel statewide,
and start carrying health insurance while they are currently serving.

Maine firefighters and police officers would be eligible to receive retirement and benefits
at age 50, as long as they have paid into the system for five years. Already-retired personnel will also be able to buy in
to the health insurance plan within the next year.

According to
Duplessie, firefighters and police officers face unique challenges in acquiring health insurance and retaining retirement
benefits. Many communities cannot afford to offer health insurance for full-time firefighters and police officers because
of the high risks associated with their work, which translate into high costs for counties and communities.

Additionally,
retirement benefits have not been portable between counties and municipalities, making it difficult for a police officer or
firefighter to transfer to another city or town without having to restart a retirement plan in most cases.

Duplessie and
other advocates for the bill emphasized that insurance and retirement are core issues for the retention of younger police
officers and firefighters. Without access to health insurance and retirement benefits, many newer firefighters and police
officers leave the professions, and communities are left without a balance of experience and abilities for law enforcement
and fire fighting.

“Retirement
plan portability and access to affordable health insurance are the major issues affecting the retention of skilled public
safety professionals,” said Duplessie. “This was a hard-fought battle to meet these basic needs, but it was worth
it to put people and the safety of our communities first.”

The legislation,
which was carried over from last session, was the sole recommendation of a study commission co-chaired by Duplessie and Senate
President Beth Edmonds that reviewed the critical issues of health insurance and retirement benefits for police officers and
firefighters. Commission members included legislators, police officers, firefighters, and insurance industry representatives.

“Increasing
access to affordable health care is one of the most significant initiatives we can take to move Maine forward,” said House Majority Leader Glenn Cummings, D-Portland. “This
bill is an important piece of that plan, and I’m proud we could do this for the people that safeguard our communities
every day.”